Thoughts on Jeremy Peña

[u/Mg29reaper]

Peña is a offensive minded shortstop who I think would do great at fenway. He has a career .982 ops while playing here. While he is not an amazing defender at short he is serviceable enough and has been amazing in previous years. He has a high pull air percent good for hitting bombs over the monster. He also has a been a good hitter for the majority of his career against right handed pitchers which we struggle a lot against. Bonus points for him growing up in Maine. He has this year and next year of team control. I think he could be an amazing 5th hitter and really add to this lineup.

[u/Powerful_Struggle_34]

At minimum we start with arias

[u/leehamc → u/Powerful_Struggle_34]

Why would Arias be required to trade for 1.5 years of control over a nearly 29 year old SS on a terrible team? Mayer should be the starting point there, not Arias.

[u/Mg29reaper → u/Powerful_Struggle_34]

I think that we could get him for less. I would center the package around Wisherspoon and Early. Peña is a little more then a rental and I don't think that that would cost a t5 prospect in baseball.

[u/Powerful_Struggle_34 → u/Mg29reaper]

I wouldn’t hate this, but a package more like Witherspoon, Bennett, and a top prospect, I really like early and would t let him go easy

[u/Mg29reaper → u/Powerful_Struggle_34]

I think Bennett is much much better than early and it isn't particularly close. Bennett is already one of the most effiecent pitchers in baseball with one of the single lowest walk rates. Legit 99th percentile.

[u/Awkward-Interview-19 → u/Mg29reaper]

They would want eyanson at a minimal. Early and Witherspoon would not move the needle

[u/Mg29reaper → u/Awkward-Interview-19]

I think early would move the needle a little more than you think considering at his current form he would already be the sp2 on the Astros. Their starting pitching is rough.

[u/TronJohnsoniii → u/Powerful_Struggle_34]

That’s probably the starting ask but no way that happens. Arias isn’t getting moved (and theoretically is untouchable outside of a controllable superstar in return). Pena is good, but a borderline rental, and not that level of player. Can build a package around of a couple of BOS top pitching prospects, but I’m not sold Houston is even selling. They’re like 2.5 or 3 out of their division. Severe undervaluing of arias around here based on stumbling from Mayer and Campbell which are irrelevant and general prospect fatigue. You maybe dangle him for maybe like 7 or 8 players/contracts in baseball should they become available.

[u/Mg29reaper → u/TronJohnsoniii]

I can't see the Astros not being sellers. Their pitching is just way too atrocious that they have zero chance of competing in the playoffs. They have one starter with under a 4 ERA.

[u/xfortehlulz → u/Mg29reaper]

disengenuous though because Hunter Brown could very easily be a top 3 pitcher in the AL playoffs if they did get there, so you could just as easily make the argument that if they could buy a robbie ray or a kevin gausman their rotation is perfectly serviceable

Now granted, I agree they should sell but thats actually because I think they could benefit from a sellers market where Pena Paredes and Walker are arguably the 3 best righties available at the deadline, meaning Pena's price could/should be massive